Egg id help
Egg id help
I was wondering if someone might know what these are.
I seen these at Flagpole in the Hood Canal about 70fsw.
They had more of a purple color in person and about the size of a BB
I seen these at Flagpole in the Hood Canal about 70fsw.
They had more of a purple color in person and about the size of a BB
- Scubie Doo
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Re: Egg id help
I think they are Greenling eggs. Not sure if they are Painted.
Re: Egg id help
I am glad you posted, becuase (to be funny of course) I was going to reply:
They appear to be fish eggs, sir!
They appear to be fish eggs, sir!
Rena
Drink water, breathe air. Never get these mixed up.
Drink water, breathe air. Never get these mixed up.
Re: Egg id help
If I had to guess I'd say either white spotted or kelpy. Painteds are usually orange, At first anyway. Painteds are usually very close to their eggs and Whites tend to buzz you and try to draw you away.
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Re: Egg id help
Thanks for the response's.
The funny thing is I would have never given them a second look a year ago.
I see a lot of the Painted Greenlings there but never a Kelp or White spotted.
I will have to keep an eye on them.
The funny thing is I would have never given them a second look a year ago.
I see a lot of the Painted Greenlings there but never a Kelp or White spotted.
I will have to keep an eye on them.
- Scubie Doo
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Re: Egg id help
Kelps and white spotted are pretty skittish.Don-B wrote:Thanks for the response's.
The funny thing is I would have never given them a second look a year ago.
I see a lot of the Painted Greenlings there but never a Kelp or White spotted.
I will have to keep an eye on them.
Re: Egg id help
Scubie Doo wrote:Kelps and white spotted are pretty skittish.Don-B wrote:Thanks for the response's.
The funny thing is I would have never given them a second look a year ago.
I see a lot of the Painted Greenlings there but never a Kelp or White spotted.
I will have to keep an eye on them.
...except when they are sitting on eggs:
- Scubie Doo
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Re: Egg id help
True.mpenders wrote:Scubie Doo wrote:Kelps and white spotted are pretty skittish.Don-B wrote:Thanks for the response's.
The funny thing is I would have never given them a second look a year ago.
I see a lot of the Painted Greenlings there but never a Kelp or White spotted.
I will have to keep an eye on them.
...except when they are sitting on eggs:
Re: Egg id help
Truth be known they are just fish eggs, Unless there is an accompanying adult is practically impossible to tell. If the belonged to a white spotted or painted they would be close by. Buffalo sculpin eggs look like these as do others but there is no real identifier except a nervous parent.
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- nwscubamom
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Re: Egg id help
My bet is on Sculpins of some kind. I saw a bunch of Spotfin Sculpin eggs laid in and around Cloud sponge that looked like that too. And they were deep, about 100 feet.
70 feet is pretty deep for Greenling eggs, at least the ones I've seen before. Those are a bit more colorful than the slate charcoal gray color of Kelp Greenling eggs I've seen in the past. They also seem to lay their eggs in empty barnacle shells a lot, but again, that's just my experience.
Rick Harbo, in his book Whelks to Whales, has a section at the end that shows eggs and who they belong to. According to him, Painted Greenlings lay orange eggs (I have seen this as well and Dusty mentioned it too) so I think you can safely rule out Painted Greenlings. Same with Buffalo Sculpins - their eggs are quite red.
But Sculpins....they can do more purple colored eggs, so I think that's the right track for these.
- Janna
70 feet is pretty deep for Greenling eggs, at least the ones I've seen before. Those are a bit more colorful than the slate charcoal gray color of Kelp Greenling eggs I've seen in the past. They also seem to lay their eggs in empty barnacle shells a lot, but again, that's just my experience.
Rick Harbo, in his book Whelks to Whales, has a section at the end that shows eggs and who they belong to. According to him, Painted Greenlings lay orange eggs (I have seen this as well and Dusty mentioned it too) so I think you can safely rule out Painted Greenlings. Same with Buffalo Sculpins - their eggs are quite red.
But Sculpins....they can do more purple colored eggs, so I think that's the right track for these.
- Janna
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Re: Egg id help
Sculpins are devious little buggers. This is a smooth head sculpins nest. there are eggs here from at least 9 different females. Note the different colors? Crazy hey?
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Re: Egg id help
Thanks again for your Reponses.
I will say I didn't see any fish guarding the nest.
There are a lot of small to medium size Sculpins around there so your probably right.
I will be curious to see when they hatch. maybe I can get a shot of some little ones.
I will say I didn't see any fish guarding the nest.
There are a lot of small to medium size Sculpins around there so your probably right.
I will be curious to see when they hatch. maybe I can get a shot of some little ones.
Re: Egg id help
That would be cool but it won't do much good as far as ID. Hatchlings generally look nothing like adults.
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